Virginia Williamsburg 6th July 1778
Sir
In consequence of a Letter received from a Mr James Anderson dated the 26th May last in Charles Town (who disposed of a parcel of Prize Goods belonging to the State, in the State of Georgia)1 I must request the favor you'll be so obliging as to make application to Jno Wereat Esqr Continental Agent for the Amott as per Enclosed Account Sales, which please to the Credit of this state giving me notice per Letter of the same with the amount in Virginia Continental Currency Dollars.— In Order to give you a more lively Idea of this matter I take the Liberty of subjoining a Paragraph, of Mr. Anderson favour to me. “The Currency of the State of Georgia (the place we arrived at) being but in little repute, has obliged me to lodge the nt proceeds in the hands of Jno Wereat Esqr. Contl. Agent who has since paid it to the Paymaster on Account of the Troops, and is as soon as possible to procure me a Bill on the Continental Treasury which will answer much better than having Georgia Gurrency"—2 I should have wrote Mr Anderson ⅌ this conveyance but have reasons to suppose he has ere this taken his departure for Martinique— I have not further to observe than should you or any of your Friends think proper to speculate to this part of the Continent I beg leave to make a tender of my services, and from my being engaged in a very Public manner, I flatter myself it gives me advantages which few private individuals possess Be assured the strictest attention and punctuallity shall be observed, and I shall be happy to have an Opportunity of serving you in any thing in my way3 I am [&c.]
Thomas Smith
LB, Vi, Thomas Smith Letter Book, 1777–1778, pp. 86–87. Addressed before opening: “Morris Gammont Esqr."
1. There is a copy of Anderson's letter in Smith's letter book. Ibid., pp. 166–67. In that letter, Anderson lists the "Prize Goods” as 100 barrels of figs and raisins that had been sent to him by Virginia's agent at Martinique. In a letter to Smith's predecessor, William Aylett, of 27 Dec. 1777, Richard Harrison, that agent, wrote: "the Brigt. Idea & Ann, a prize taken by the Liberty, Capn Herbert, has got into a safe port of this Island. This is Loaded with Raisins, Figs, Wines &ca. from Malaga for England.” Ibid., p. 180. Harrison sent part of the cargo to Anderson in hopes that Anderson could sell the perishable figs and raisins and use the proceeds to purchase indigo. However, Anderson found the price of indigo too high to make the transaction profitable. Anderson to Smith, 26 May, ibid., p. 167.
2. The quotation here is identical to that in the copy of Anderson's letter in Smith's letter book with a few exceptions: the word "having" is not in the copy; the word "in" is "into" in the copy, Anderson spelled out "Continental” in "Contl. Agent"; and there are commas after "Agent" and "Treasury" and a period after "Currency."
3. Gammont's reply has not been found.